Rep. Mike Bishop Talks The Future Of Immigration And Obamacare

Congressman Mike Bishop [R-8th District] says his discontent with the direction of national politics led him to run for public office once again. Bishop is former state Senate Majority Leader in Michigan, during Governor Jennifer Granholm’s administration.

“Once that flame is lit inside of you, the public-service flame, it’s hard to extinguish,” says Bishop.

Bishop won the congressional seat vacated by former Congressman Mike Rogers. Rogers had become a national voice on issues surrounding homeland security and intelligence. Bishop says homeland security is especially important in Michigan, an international border state. 

“I believe fundamentally the core function of government is to protect people in the homeland,” says Bishop. He says immigration reform must include border security provisions.

Bishop also says Michigan is vulnerable to future changes to the Affordable Care Act — or Obamacare — because the state runs its own exchange. The congressman says there are elements of Obamacare he thinks should stay in place, such as the ability of parents to include their kids in their health coverage until age 26. But Bishop says he thinks Obamacare must be replaced, even if it means difficult changes for many people.

“There is a great concern that millions of people who have these plans now are going to go without insurance, or the insurance companies will have to continue insurance at their own cost and that could turn the whole industry upside down,” says Bishop.